The Best And Worst Pavilions At The Great American State Fair
The Great American State Fair in Washington D.C. showcases all 56 US states adn territories within about 600 square feet each, offering a unique mini-exhibition for visitors. The fair presents a variety of displays, from Florida’s themed flow through the Everglades to Arizona’s augmented reality hikes, and other states highlight local culture, history, and landmarks with creative or simple exhibits. Some states, like cape May County and Guam, stepped in due to official rejection or enthusiasm, resulting in memorable experiences. Notable highlights include Texas’s moon and Alamo, Louisiana’s Mardi Gras float, and Tennessee’s music scene. Many pavilions had minimal efforts, relying on graphics or sparse displays, while others featured interactive elements like driving simulators or dinosaur digs. Several states appeared unenthusiastic or provided underwhelming exhibits, and some lacked representation of their cultural or historic significance. the fair serves as a colorful and varied showcase of regional identities, though it often felt more low-budget than grand, highlighting the potential for permanent pavilions to better honor each state’s uniqueness.The event is the result of efforts from creative individuals, like Geoff Thatcher, who have extensive experience in theme park design and branding.
Forget the World’s Expo, where every nation has a pavilion. The true genius of the Great American State Fair in Washington D.C., which runs through July 10, is that all 56 of our states and territories get about 600 square feet to show off what makes them special.
There is a kernel of a much bigger idea here, as The Mall would be a much better place if each state and territory had its own permanent pavilion. This would balance the major attractions in our nation’s capital politically and philosophically rather than Smithsonian offerings that all lean left.
The word “fair” is the right descriptor for this experience, in more ways than one. Even though the temporary structures were dressed up with faux neoclassical columns and graphics to match DC’s architecture, the exhibits inside are mostly low-budget affairs, even though some governors claimed it was “too expensive” to participate.
After six hours touring all of the pavilions on July 1, here is my unofficial ranking from best to worst.
Florida
As you’d expect from Florida, they understand attractions and know that moving thousands of people through a small space requires a prescribed linear flow.
While its lines were the longest, people flowed through the themed everglades, smelled oranges in a small grove, and then picked up a free stuffed baby alligator before exiting.
Arizona
A clear second to Florida, as they were the only other state to embrace a linear flow. Arizona also deployed some nifty augmented reality technology to allow guests to hike through a Navajo slot canyon and stand in the forests of Northern Arizona. The highlight was standing under the bright stars of the desert!
Cape May County (New Jersey)
You can’t give The Garden State any credit here, because after state officials rejected any participation, a smart county tourism director by the name of Diane Wieland raised her hand and said, “We’ll do it!” The experience features a giant sand castle, big banners featuring an AI George Washington chilling on the beach, and free salt taffy.
Image CreditImage courtesy Geoff Thatcher
North Dakota
Sunflowers, buffalo, nice people and a nifty architectural model of the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. The badlands are now officially on our bucket list!
Mississippi
We had no idea Mississippi is the birthplace of American music. I’m still not sure I believe ’em, but we had fun exploring the exhibits.
Pennsylvania
Another example of a Democrat governor opting out on celebrating America’s 250th while others step up to make something empty appealing. In this pavilion, you see a replica of the Liberty Bell, along with other historical artifacts, including a large collection of American Flags. Apparently, it was a bipartisan effort led by the state’s Republican and Democratic senators.
Oklahoma
People loved posing in front of the Route 66 sign while the staff insisted, “Hey, we’re cool now. I mean, we even have an NBA team.”
Texas
Orbit the moon and visit the Alamo while listening to honky tonk and posing with Big Tex, the iconic 55-foot tall cowboy at the State Fair in Dallas.
Louisiana
A giant head from a Mardi Gras float was on display and Gov. Jeff Landry was staffing the booth when we walked inside. Surprisingly, for SEC football fans, it didn’t smell like corn dogs.
Guam
This island in the Pacific makes the Top 10 because they were having so much fun—they even had two performers in grass skirts. This pavilion earned another spot on our bucket list. We wanna go to “Where America’s Day Begins.”
Utah
You can sit in a ski lift for a photo-op, but we were hoping for “Dirty Sodas” and an expose on the famous Utah Cookie Wars. And yes, the people inside the Pavilion were just as nice as advertised.
Tennessee
You got to stand at the Grand Ole Opry’s microphone, eat free peanut brittle, and see video of the fun at Dollywood.
Missouri
A wall display of images and artifacts lined with neon made this pavilion one of the most colorful, but we were expecting to see more of Branson.
Montana
You could dig for dinosaur bones underneath BIG dino bones.
Puerto Rico
The staff were super nice and dancing with guests, but I wasn’t sure if this was because most of the pavilion seemed to be dominated by displays of booze—especially rum!
West Virginia
Two racing simulators allowed you to actually race down the state’s “Country Roads,” but sadly the only John Denver we heard was at the World Cup fan fest down The Mall from the State Pavilions.
Arkansas
They were giving away a free $3,000 trip to anywhere inside The Natural State. We asked if that included Wal-Mart. They said “Yep.”
Idaho
The high fashion dress made of potato sack burlap puts Idaho higher than it should be.
Nebraska
I got to drive a Union Pacific train. Enough said!
Illinois
The kids loved playing with the CAT trucks in an interactive table full of corn while a giant holographic video screen allowed guests to hear from Abraham Lincoln.
Nevada
According to this pavilion, the only thing worth seeing in the state of Nevada is Las Vegas.
New Hampshire
They didn’t do much, but we found the small exhibit on its “First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primary Centennial from 1920 to 2020 interesting.
Kansas
They gave us a free “WE LIKE IKE” button because the 34th president was from Abilene, Kansas.
New Mexico
They answered a very important question inside: “Can you say you’ve been to New Mexico if you only made it to the Four Corners?” The answer: Yes!
Colorado
We saw a father and daughter eating their lunch, including one massive turkey leg, inside the pavilion’s canoes.
California
Considering how much Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Trump fight, I wasn’t expecting much, but Visit California created a cool and colorful sculpture of the California Bear along with an interactive photo mosaic.
Michigan
My wife wouldn’t come inside, as she grew up in Ohio (only true Ohio State fans will understand this), but I didn’t grow up a Buckeye and they gave every guest a free box of cereal.
Ohio
How could you have not leaned into the Wright Brothers, astronauts like Neil Armstrong, or even the Buckeyes to make your pavilion better? Come on, Ohio, you could have done better!
North Carolina
About the only cool thing in this pavilion was the Bass ProShops NASCAR Chevy. And yes, my Ohio is showing, but stop claiming the whole “First in Flight” thing, when everyone knows where the airplane was really invented.
District of Columbia
A giant mural allowed every guest the chance to leave his mark, including me drawing huge heart with an arrow through it featuring our initials: GMT -n- TNT.
Minnesota
Not much to like beyond crop art featuring Al’s Breakfast Dinkytown Branch, which is advertised as the “best breakfast in Minneapolis.”
South Dakota
All you had to do was beat North Dakota, and you failed! However, we did learn that the New England’s Patriot’s Adam Vinatieri went to South Dakota State.
Wyoming
Great advertising (“Mavericks Wanted”). Silly tent.
Wisconsin
The only thing memorable was a Harley-Davidson, but considering the custom bikes on display in the American Innovates Pavilion, this one was rather depressing.
Virginia
I know Virginia is for lovers, but apparently it has something to do with peanuts, utensils, apples, tobacco, and corn. Yeah, I still don’t get it!
New York
A big “I Heart NY” photo-op.
Iowa
A big graphic featuring wind turbines, cows, and the world’s largest concrete garden gnome named Elwood. Who knew?
Maryland
We got to meet a local artist named Matt Long even though the rest of the pavilion was uninspiring.
Indiana
Since I’ve worked on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, I was sad not to see any race cars inside. Instead we got a small and poorly themed miniature golf course.
Alabama
At least no one yelled “Roll Tide” at us.
Georgia
When the coolest thing in the pavilion is fake Vidalia onions, you know you’re in trouble.
Delaware
I went to Delaware and all I got to see was a lousy oversized postcard.
Rhode Island
Nothing more than two chairs and a graphic, but the long-shot Republican candidate for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District was there stamping and signing people’s passports.
Kentucky
Yeah, they tried (and failed) to claim Abraham Lincoln. It felt like the state’s Democrat governor didn’t want to spend any money.
South Carolina
We live in South Carolina and found this pavilion super sad. They should have at least put a sign up that said, “Hey, we started the Civil War!”
Vermont
Nothing but two chairs and a graphic, but what was funny about this graphic was Sen. Bernie Sanders. Yep, the socialist icon is now up there with cows, skiers and maple syrup.
U.S. Virgin Islands
One chair and a graphic provided by the organizers of the Great American State Fair.
Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Alaska, Maine, Connecticut, Oregon, and Washington
Same.
Massachusetts
Same, and lame because, you know, the state is the home to Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, and the whole midnight ride by Paul Revere that kicked-off the Revolutionary War.
Hawaii
You got beat by Guam! I mean seriously, Hawaii, all you had to do was ask a few local Hawaiians living in Northern Virginia because they can’t afford to live in the Aloha State to show up, play some music, and hand out leis.
Based on my experience working in Hawaii, I know they would have loved to show up and “talk story.” Instead, we get a haole stamping passport. We didn’t even get a shaka.
Geoff Thatcher has flown more than 3 million miles on Delta designing theme parks, museums, and brand experiences around the world.
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